


Introspection

by abucketfulloffeels



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:40:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28153995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abucketfulloffeels/pseuds/abucketfulloffeels
Summary: As Sayo and Rinko grow closer as band members, classmates, and friends, they realise the way they feel about each other has changed.
Relationships: Hikawa Sayo/Shirokane Rinko
Kudos: 32





	1. Rinko

**Author's Note:**

> I actually wrote the entire thing about 6 months ago, but at the point of completion I didn't like it and didn't feel it was fit for posting. But 6 months later, after reading through the entire thing a few more times, I decided it's not too bad after all, so here it is.

In the privacy of the Hanasakigawa student council room sat Rinko and Sayo side by side as they did their homework. Not a single word was exchanged between them, and the room would have been completely quiet if not for the music Sayo was playing from her phone and the scratching of pens on paper, yet Rinko completely felt at ease with just the two of them together. They didn’t have any student council activities for the day, nor did they have any band practice thereafter, yet somehow they naturally decided to stay back after school in the student council room - their little haven - to complete their homework.

A little over a year and a half ago, this would not have been an option for Rinko - she’d head straight home after school, and would never have talked to this serious, brooding girl in her class more than needed. And now she was sitting next to that same girl, enjoying her company even if they were just doing, well,  _ things on their own _ .

“Shirokane-san-”

Just then, Sayo spoke and Rinko promptly looked up. Gone was that stern look whenever Sayo was around with her, and in fact her expression seemed especially soft at that moment. How things have changed since then…

* * *

Rinko’s first impression of Sayo was formed when she first joined Roselia in the second year of high school. Ako introduced her to the band, and she realised that the guitarist happened to be one of her classmates. Being the shy and reserved girl she was, she never really talked to Sayo prior to this, especially because she too was a relatively reserved girl in class and came across to be extremely no-nonsense.

Thereafter, they started to interact more while in Roselia, but it was only strictly about band-related matters, like their playing during band practice and rehearsals, or when Rinko had to take measurements for their new costumes or when Sayo had to discuss the band’s budget. For a while, Rinko only really made small talk with Ako between practice, and occasionally Lisa, who was the most social and cordial out of all of them. Even in school, Rinko’s relationship with Sayo didn’t change much, other than an occasional nod of acknowledgement when they crossed paths in class and the rare passing conversation once in a while. They didn’t even travel to the studio together after school on practice days, partly because Sayo was sometimes busy with archery or the disciplinary committee, and partly because Rinko sometimes met Ako first to hang out for a while.

Then, one day, out of the blue, Sayo approached her at her desk in between classes. “Shirokane-san. Do you want to go for band practice together later?”

Rinko was caught off-guard by that sudden gesture and was momentarily flustered. “Umm...I...uh…”

“You have plans beforehand? No worries, just thought I’d ask first.”

“No...I don’t...I was just surprised. We can go together…”

“Sure, let’s meet at the homeroom after school ends.”

The trip to the studio after school was incredibly uncomfortable at first. Both of them didn’t exchange a word while they walked to the bus stop, as Sayo intermittently checked her phone while Rinko was internally sweating at the sheer awkwardness of the situation.

When they boarded the bus, Sayo finally broke the ice.

“Shirokane-san, have you been playing the keyboard for a long time?”

“...Yes, sort of...I’ve played the piano since young…”

“I see. You’re actually really good, you learn your parts really quickly and can also play whatever changes Minato-san proposes on the spot.”

Rinko blushed at that unexpected compliment. “T-thank you, Hikawa-san... You’re a really good guitarist too.”

A small smile broke on Sayo’s serious face. “Thanks. I’m not that good at it yet since I’ve only been playing for a couple of years but I’m working hard on it.”

Then the remaining of the bus journey continued in silence, interspersed with pockets of off-hand comments about schoolwork and practice schedules. But it was their first proper conversation outside band practice and school, and Rinko felt a sense of achievement - she was starting to get closer to another band member, the very member she spends practically half the day together on a regular basis but never got to know personally about until that point.

* * *

As time passed, Roselia set out to achieve more and more ambitious goals, and after various incidents and conflicts that happened between them, they started to grow closer as a band. They talked about their feelings with each other more, and hung out together even outside of practices, and naturally everyone grew much closer to one another. Of course, Rinko did get a lot closer to Sayo as they talked more often, and she started to discover some endearing sides to her as well. Like for example, her dislike for carrots (which she was slightly embarrassed about that Rinko found kinda cute) despite the mature and serious air she gave off, as well as an out-of-character love of fries. At the same time, Rinko found Sayo’s reliability and presence to be especially comforting during performances - while Rinko tended to get nervous right before going on stage, Sayo was always calm and confident, maintaining her mantra of “playing on stage the same as you did during practice”.

“When Hikawa-san’s on stage, I feel a lot calmer.” Rinko shyly mentioned once during a post-live show evaluation with the band.

Sayo seemed to momentarily flush at her comment, but quickly regained composure. “You’ve gotten a lot more confident on stage too, Shirokane-san.”

* * *

On one occasion, Ako somehow convinced all of Roselia to play NFO together as a band. At first, Rinko thought that Sayo wouldn’t take to playing MMORPGs very well, since she was so serious and focused on guitar only. However, she was taken by surprise when she saw Sayo occasionally logging in to the server she and Ako played.

“Can’t help but to finish what I’d left off,” Sayo quipped, brushing her interest off with her sense of obligation. But Rinko knew Sayo secretly enjoyed playing NFO, for every once in a while she’d message Rinko in the game for tips on completing quests and collecting rare items. Rinko didn’t mind it one bit, it gave them another topic of discussion outside of band activities.

Rinko started to really enjoy those conversations with Sayo, both offline and online (especially the latter, as she was a lot more comfortable communicating in text messages). Ako was also an avid NFO player of course, but somehow Sayo seemed to prefer talking to Rinko about it, and Rinko wondered why. Did Sayo really enjoy her company and their conversations the same way she did? ...was she doing all this to get closer to her?

“Sorry for always bothering you about NFO,” Sayo replied after Rinko sent her a series of lengthy messages in the game on the most efficient method to clear a map she was stuck on. “I’ve asked Udagawa-san for help a few times, but she’d often sidetrack or type things I don’t understand. Your explanations are always so comprehensive and helpful.”

Ah, that made a lot more sense to Rinko.

“Haha it’s ok (^_^)||| It’s my pleasure to help!”

* * *

Later on during the year, Rinko felt compelled to try something new for a change and decided to attend school club tryouts in the hope of finding a club that suited her. When Sayo offered to follow her along, she was pleasantly surprised. Was it the first time Sayo went out of her way to do something...just for  _ her _ ?

Rinko tried out a plethora of clubs, from tennis to kendo to tea ceremony and even Sayo’s own club, archery. Whilst Rinko was contemplating on every decision, she couldn’t notice how serious and wholeheartedly Sayo was taking part in the activities as well, and even suggesting new clubs for her to try out. 

When they were at the archery range, at that moment when she saw Sayo taking aim with her bow, her concentration fully focused on the target board, her heart fluttered. Perhaps the one trait she liked the most about Sayo was how she did everything with such determination and commitment, it was admirable and almost...kinda cool.

“Hikawa-san...thank you so much for following me around...you really didn’t have to trouble yourself.”

“Don’t say that, it’s no trouble at all. After all, isn’t that what friends do?”

_ Friends. _ Rinko finally realised that they weren’t just merely bandmates and classmates; they were actually already behaving just like friends.”

“Yeah, we  _ are _ friends…”

* * *

Another school year had passed. In her final year of high school, Rinko somehow ended up making the decision to run for student council president and actually got elected. It was an extremely overwhelming role for an introvert and socially awkward girl like herself, but Sayo was also on the committee, and that made her feel a lot more comforted. Sayo had always been her pillar of strength in Roselia, and now she was also going to be that in the student council as well.

The fact that she and Sayo continued to be in the same class, ramped up their activities in Roselia, and worked together in the student council meant that they were together for practically the whole day. Granted, they weren’t usually alone most of the time, since they were either attending classes, rehearsing with the other band members, or working alongside other student council members like Arisa. Nevertheless, somehow or rather, they increasingly spent time with each other alone after those activities. 

Rinko was good at literature and average at math, while Sayo was great at math but weak in literature, so upon discovering their complementing strengths and weaknesses, they sometimes stayed back after classes to help each other with assignments. Outside band practice, she and Sayo sometimes discussed arrangements for each other’s parts, or even worked on song ideas together. As for student council work, Sayo was always the last to leave the meeting sessions with her, lingering a little longer to finish up some paperwork or discuss issues with her. 

Rinko always felt that it was just Sayo and her strong sense of responsibility and commitment that led her to follow through with things and go the extra mile, but she couldn’t help but realise how much she enjoyed just spending time with her. The way her eyebrows furrowed when in deep thought, the way she listened so intently whenever Rinko was speaking, the way she eagerly put out new ideas in her own calm, rational manner - it was admirable yet so endearing to her. Subconsciously, Sayo started occupying Rinko’s thoughts more and more.

At the same time, because they were working with each other so closely, they were texting each other more often. At first, their texts were mostly centred around Roselia or council work, but gradually, they’d talk about anything under the sun. Rinko enjoyed texting a lot more, and she felt that brought her a lot closer to Sayo.

* * *

_ “Can you believe it,” _ Sayo messaged her one day.  _ “Hina went out and bought 5 packs of gummies just because it was on sale. How’s she ever going to finish it??!” _

Rinko chuckled at the message and typed out a reply.  _ “She knows you’ll like it and definitely take some of it too. Both of you will finish it in no time :3” _

“Why are you laughing at your phone, Rinrin?” Ako commented. The both of them were out together for lunch that day.

“Um, it’s nothing...just a funny text…”

“You’ve been getting a lot of these ‘funny texts’ recently...is it your crush? Or a lover?” Ako giggled teasingly.

“A cru- No…? None of that sort…”

Rinko paused for a moment. Maybe she  _ did _ have a bit of a crush on Sayo for a while. Sayo was always especially nice to her (although she didn’t express her feelings outright, her actions spoke louder), she always thought Sayo was a pretty girl with her brooding teal eyes and long flowing hair, and every little gesture and action from Sayo made her heart race a little faster.

“Actually...yeah, it’s sort of a crush...I guess…”

Ako’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Really? Who is it?”

Rinko smiled bashfully. “Promise to keep it a secret between the both of us, okay?”

* * *

For a while since that day, Rinko continued mulling about her sort-of crush on Sayo. Was she really attracted to her? Or was it just a deeper sort of friendship she hadn’t experienced before because she never really made that many close friends in the first place. These thoughts followed her all the way into the next band practice session.

“Can we pause for a moment,” Sayo piped up after a playthrough of one of their new songs. “Shirokane-san, I was thinking maybe it’d sound nicer if the guitar and the keyboard switched lines during the part between the pre-chorus and chorus.”

“Where’s that? Which bars are you talking about…?”

“Bars 89 to- hold on a moment, I’ll just come over and show it to you.”

Sayo put down her guitar and walked towards Rinko, score in hand. Approaching Rinko from behind, she leant in closely from the back, pointing out the bars on both their scores while explaining her idea.

All of a sudden, all Rinko could think about was how close Sayo was to her. She could feel Sayo’s hair brushing against her cheeks as her face nestled against her shoulders, she could feel the warmth of their bodies so close together, and she noticed those hands. Sayo had such soft and beautiful-looking hands, especially for a guitarist. For a fleeting moment, Rinko thought about how it would feel just holding it-

“-you got it? Do you need me to repeat it again?”

Rinko promptly snapped out of her daydream-like state with the realisation that she hadn’t been paying attention to Sayo’s words the whole time.

“I’m sorry...could you repeat it again? I didn’t catch it all…”  _ Oh god, _ Rinko thought.  _ I hope my face isn’t completely red right now. _

* * *

So maybe Rinko’s “sort-of crush” on Sayo was more serious than she’d thought. But should she act on it? Right now, Rinko was completely happy with the friendship she had with Sayo. Never would she have thought that they’d be texting each other about NFO late into the night, or casually grab a drink and hang out together after school. If anything, she reasoned, it was more likely that her feelings for Sayo were one-sided - Sayo helped her grow so much confidence performing in Roselia, and assisted in so many tasks in the student council that she was incapable of doing on her own, but what was she to Sayo? A bumbling, awkward mess that she somehow cared for time and time again.

* * *

It was another long day at the student council. Rinko and her committee had just concluded a lengthy meeting with the presidents of the various student clubs in Hanasakigawa, and everyone was packing up and leaving. The orange glow of the sunset was streaming in from the windows - it was getting late - and eventually, it was just Rinko and Sayo left as usual, slowly packing up after a short post-meeting discussion.

“Hikawa-san,” Rinko softly spoke. “Thank you for all your help today. Speaking to a lot of people isn’t my strong suit and I couldn’t get my ideas across at some points… But you helped to articulate them so well…”

“No problem, all in a day’s work.”

“Actually...I really want to thank you for helping me so much in the student council all this while. Although I’m the president I struggle with so many things… Without Hikawa-san by my side, I’d be nothing.”

Sayo smiled; it was a gentle smile yet so warm. As the soft rays of the setting sun hit her face, Rinko felt she looked especially beautiful.

“Don’t say that about yourself, Shirokane-san. You’re always so responsible and reliable as president, everyone looks up to you even if you don’t notice it. In fact, I really,  _ really _ do respect you both as a president and as an individual.”

Hearing Sayo speak so frankly about her thoughts about her suddenly filled Rinko with a burst of courage. Maybe she’d test the waters a little and reveal a bit about her feelings for her...

“T-this may seem a bit sudden,” Rinko lowered her voice, tugging the hem of her skirt nervously, “But having you by my side helping me with everything from homework, band stuff, student council stuff, and even talking about mundane things...it makes me really happy…”

Sayo ran her fingers through her hair shyly, a rare moment in which her strong front was replaced with a bashful, bumbling one. “Being with you...makes me really happy too.”

Rinko’s heart was pounding hard against her chest, her breath shortening in anticipation of what she was going to say next. “Hikawa-san, you’re really special to me…”

Rinko, who was avoiding Sayo’s direct gaze the entire time, glanced upwards, watching her face. Did her expression change in anticipation of what she was about to say? Was she going to reciprocate with her feelings about Rinko?

There was a pregnant pause between the both of them. Sayo’s expression remained the same as she didn’t seem to want to say anything in response, instead waiting for Rinko to continue.

“...you really are one of my closest friends I’ve ever made.” In the end, Rinko backed out of the confession at the last moment. There’s no way Sayo had romantic feelings for her, she thought.

“Same, you’re one of my closest friends as well,” Sayo replied. Just as expected.

It was kind of a downer for Rinko, but at least she knew Sayo’s feelings now, and she had a sense of closure. She was perfectly fine with them continuing as friends while she had a one-sided crush on her.

That night, Rinko messaged Ako while they were grinding an event on NFO together.

“I backed out on the confession in the end.”

“Awwwww really?? Ako was really supporting you :’((((((“

“It’s okay, at least I found out how Hikawa-san feels about me, and I’m okay with things remaining this way. We’ll still be friends and members of Roselia after all.”


	2. Sayo

Sayo's first impression of Rinko formed when she first joined Roselia as their keyboardist. She was incredibly awkward and shy, speaking in a voice barely louder than a whisper, and mostly only talked to Ako, the drummer who introduced her to the band whom she was a friend of. Sayo was a bit worried that her awkward demeanour would prove detrimental for Roselia's bold, theatrical music style and their performances on stage, but she was pleasantly surprised to discover that she was an amazingly talented pianist. 

Sayo also quickly found out that Rinko was also one of her classmates at school. She didn't even realise until she spotted her in class the next day - she always kept to herself and was so quiet, Sayo never took notice of her until that point. 

For a while, the both of them didn't really talk much even in school, and their interactions in the band were just confined to the necessary like co-ordinating during practices and administrative matters. They didn’t even travel from school to the studio together for practice, partly because Sayo sometimes had archery practice or disciplinary committee matters to settle, and partly because Rinko sometimes went ahead to meet with Ako first. 

At first, Sayo didn't think too much about it. They were just band members that happened to be classmates, as long as they got the job done in their respective roles in Roselia, that was fine. But she also started to think - wasn't it a little strange that they were the only two Hanasakigawa students in the band (and in the same class as well), but never interacted much outside band activities? So she figured, since Rinko's way too shy to initiate anything, why not suggest going down to the studio together after class one day? 

“Shirokane-san. Do you want to go for band practice together later?”

Rinko seemed to be stunned at Sayo's question. Was she too intimidating? (She had been told that she always looked too serious and fierce.)

“Umm...I...uh…”

Maybe it wasn't the right move, so Sayo decided to deflect it. “You have plans beforehand? No worries, just thought I’d ask first.”

“No...I don’t...I was just surprised. We can go together…”

Sayo was internally relieved. “Sure, let’s meet at the homeroom after school ends.”

They did as they agreed after school, and as expected, Rinko didn't speak a word nor initiate a conversation the whole time while walking from the school gates to the bus stop. Sayo was also not one to start small talk, but she felt it necessary to break the thick wall of ice between them. So she began the moment they boarded the bus. 

“Shirokane-san, have you been playing the keyboard for a long time?”

“...Yes, sort of...I’ve played the piano since young…”

“I see. You’re actually really good, you learn your parts really quickly and can also play whatever changes Minato-san proposes on the spot.”

“T-thank you, Hikawa-san... You’re a really good guitarist too.”

Sayo was momentarily flattered at the compliment - she was always hard on herself due to her inferiority complex, but a genuine word of praise from Rinko caused her to involuntarily break into a smile. “Thanks. I’m not that good at it yet since I’ve only been playing for a couple of years but I’m working hard on it.”

Then the remaining of the bus journey continued in silence, interspersed with pockets of off-hand comments about schoolwork and practice schedules. But Sayo was satisfied that she managed to take the first step to get to know a band member of hers better.

As time passed, Roselia set out to achieve more and more ambitious goals, and after various incidents and conflicts that happened between them, they started to grow closer as a band. They talked about their feelings with each other more, and hung out together even outside of practices, and naturally everyone grew much closer to one another. Rinko’s personality started to shine more as she gradually came out of her shell, and Sayo found her to be highly passionate about music and also extremely caring despite her quiet demeanour. Sayo also found her determination to overcome her anxiety with crowds while on stage bit by bit an inspiration to her.

“When Hikawa-san’s on stage, I feel a lot calmer.” Rinko shyly mentioned once during a post-live show evaluation with the band.

Sayo was again surprised by Rinko’s comment. She always thought of herself as someone individualistic and self-confident on stage, but she never knew that it had an effect on Rinko.

“You’ve gotten a lot more confident on stage too, Shirokane-san,” she replied after a moment of embarrassment.

* * *

On one occasion, Ako somehow convinced all of Roselia to play NFO together as a band. Sayo had never played MMORPGs before but she knew it was a game Rinko and Ako frequently played together. It took some getting used to at first, but after that initial playthrough, Sayo actually found herself logging in to Rinko and Ako’s server once in a while to play. Part of it was driven by her sense of obligation to complete the quests she first started, and part of it was because...she actually  _ enjoyed _ playing the game.

However, the learning curve for a non-gamer like herself was steep, and the online guides she found were often not specific enough in addressing what she needed to know. So Sayo turned to messaging Ako or Rinko in the game for help, depending on who was online at that moment. She found Ako, however, to be less helpful than the guides because of her constant sidetracking and incomprehensible ramblings, so she mostly turned to Rinko in the end - her explanations were clear and comprehensive, and she typed  _ really _ fast.

“You’re really into NFO now, huh?” Rinko commented after she happened to spot Sayo online one night.

“Can’t help but to finish what I’d left off,” Sayo quipped.

“Sorry for always bothering you about NFO,” Sayo replied after Rinko sent her a series of lengthy messages in the game on the most efficient method to clear a map she was stuck on. “I’ve asked Udagawa-san for help a few times, but she’d often sidetrack or type things I don’t understand. Your explanations are always so comprehensive and helpful.”

“Haha it’s ok (^_^)||| It’s my pleasure to help!”

Somehow, Sayo found herself also enjoying talking to Rinko while playing the game. Yes, NFO was fun and Rinko was of great help to her, but whenever Rinko was playing alongside her virtually, Sayo felt just a little more excited about it. And in a strange way, she felt that they really started to bond more through the game. Rinko tended to be more reserved in real life, but when online she was so much more chatty, forthcoming and confident. It was a side of her Sayo had never seen before, and she found it really endearing.

* * *

Later on during the year, Sayo found out that Rinko wanted to attend some school club tryouts and find a club that suited her. Without hesitation, Sayo offered to tag along. She didn’t have any club activities on that day, she reasoned.

Rinko tried out a plethora of clubs, from tennis to kendo to tea ceremony and even Sayo’s own club, archery. As Sayo took part in the activities with her, she could not help but feel a strong sense of wanting to look out for her. Seeing Rinko stepping out of her comfort zone and following her suggestions to try other clubs, Sayo couldn’t help but feel a sense of newfound respect for her.

The final club Rinko wanted to try was Sayo’s own club, archery. Even though there was no session that day, Sayo agreed to make arrangements for her to try it out in a heartbeat. Rinko was incredibly determined to hit the target during their short session there, and that further moved Sayo.

“Hikawa-san...thank you so much for following me around...you really didn’t have to trouble yourself.” Rinko thanked Sayo at the end of a long day, just as they were about to head home.

“Don’t say that, it’s no trouble at all. After all, isn’t that what friends do?”

While on the bus home by herself, Sayo ruminated on the last words she said to Rinko before they parted ways.  _ Isn’t that what friends do? _ They never really acknowledged that they were friends per se - they hung out a lot because they were in the same band - but outside of band activities, they talked, played games, did things for each other (like today), just like what friends do.

At the same time, Sayo wondered what drove her to be so determined to assist Rinko in her club tryouts. Surely it was not just the fact that they were friends and she was always so serious in committing to what she set out to do? Inexplicably, she was starting to experience feelings of attraction towards Rinko.

_ This can’t be true, Hikawa Sayo, _ she told herself.  _ You just really respect her because of her character and her talent for piano, and she’s, well, _ kinda cute _ , that’s all. The both of you just spend a lot of time together, that’s why you  _ think _ you’re attracted to her. _

In a fit of confusion and embarrassment at those emotions she felt, Sayo proceeded to take it out on a lengthy guitar practice session that very night.

* * *

Another school year had passed. Being part of the disciplinary committee in her second year, naturally Sayo joined the student council executive committee in her final year of high school. The only big difference was that Rinko was now the student council president of Hanasakigawa. It was a surprise to many given how soft-spoken she was and how much she avoided the limelight (Roselia performances being the only exception), but Sayo was not the least bit ruffled, knowing how responsible and reliable Rinko was whenever she was faced with such a challenge. If anything, she was there to support Rinko wholeheartedly as a fellow band member and friend.

The fact that she and Rinko continued to be in the same class, ramped up their activities in Roselia, and worked together in the student council meant that they were together for practically the whole day. Granted, they weren’t usually alone most of the time, since they were either attending classes, rehearsing with the other band members, or working alongside other student council members like Arisa. Nevertheless, somehow or rather, they increasingly spent time with each other alone after those activities. 

Sayo discovered that Rinko did well for literature, a subject she struggled with, and was not great at math, a subject that Sayo was confident in, so she suggested that they could help each other with their homework for those subjects. As Roselia geared up for greater goals and released new songs, Sayo felt compelled to work closely with Rinko to discuss the arrangements for each other’s parts, and even on song ideas together. Even in the student council, Sayo felt a strong sense of obligation to go the extra mile, often being the last to leave alongside Rinko as she wanted to complete some extra paperwork or discuss additional issues with her.

All these were things Sayo naturally felt inclined to do due to her strong sense of responsibility, but a part of her felt that she was doing it because she subconsciously wanted to spend more time with Rinko. Why did she suggest studying together with Rinko when she was fine revising for tests and working on assignments by herself? Why did she choose to discuss her musical ideas with Rinko instead of Yukina, who writes the majority of Roselia’s repertoire? Why did she always choose to linger in the student council room until Rinko was ready to leave, when she could have left earlier and continued working on her reports at home?

Well, for one thing, just being with Rinko alone for that few extra minutes to hours brought a little extra joy in the day for her. Rinko’s calming presence, her soothing, soft voice, the way her eyes creased whenever she gently smiled - Sayo was secretly yet hopelessly enraptured by all of it.

_ Oh god, we’re  _ just _ friends, right?  _

* * *

Another thing Sayo realised that brought the both of them a lot closer was the fact that they were texting each other more often. At first, it was mostly for student council work, or occasionally band matters or school work. But soon after, they started to talk about anything and everything under the sun. Sayo found Rinko to be extra friendly, absolutely charming, and unexpectedly funny over text, and sometimes they’d be messaging each other late into the night discussing NFO events or talking about the colourful members from the other girl bands in their area.

One night, as usual, Sayo was out on the living room couch half-watching Hina’s favourite TV programme about dogs (Hina insisted it was Sayo’s favourite as well, she just didn’t want to admit it), and at the same time was having a riveting text conversation with Rinko about nothing special in particular, before Rinko sent a series of funny memes over that sent Sayo snickering at her phone.

“Hey,” Hina jabbed her sister playfully with her elbow. “I thought you liked this show! Who are you texting all the time? A lover?”

“Shut up,” Sayo muttered.

Hina cupped her face with her hands and turned to look at Sayo with a teasing expression. “If Onee-chan falls in love or has a crush on anybody, you gotta tell me first!!”

“S-stop spouting nonsense, I don’t have a crush on anyone,” Sayo retorted, but her beet red face gave it all away. Thankfully, the next scene featured some Akita puppies and Hina’s attention was immediately diverted.

_ I don’t have a crush on anyone. _ That’s what she said, and that’s what she always told herself. But why couldn’t she get the thought of Rinko out of her mind?

* * *

“Shirokane-san, this is a little embarrassing, but the last costume you made seems to be a little tight across the chest and waist for me. Could you retake my measurements?” Sayo approached Rinko after a practice session one day.

“Oh...no problem...give me a moment while I take out my measuring tape…” Rinko promptly responded.

As Sayo stood with her arms raised, Rinko started to wrap her measuring tape around Sayo’s waist, taking her measurements. As Rinko did so, the thought of Rinko suddenly being so physically close to her made Sayo unusually nervous. The touch of Rinko’s soft hands around her waist and her gentle breathing against her back made her heart race.  _ She’s just taking your measurements, Hikawa Sayo, there’s nothing to get excited about. _

Rinko proceeded to take her chest measurements. Sayo was desperately wishing Rinko couldn’t feel how much her heart was pounding at that very moment.

“Looks like you did grow a few centimetres around your waist and chest, _ fufu _ ,” Rinko softly quipped just before she loosened the measuring tape and stepped back.

The way Rinko said that line in such a whisper and right next to her ear...it was at that point Sayo lost it. “T-thanks Shirokane-san...excuse me while I go to the washroom real quick-”

Stumbling into the studio’s washroom, Sayo turned on the tap and splashed her face with water. It was at that point when she looked into the mirror and realised how red the tip of her ears was. 

There was no deceiving herself at that point. It was without a doubt that she was hopelessly smitten with Rinko and it took her so long to realise those feelings.

But what was she going to do about it? They had so much at stake here - they were bandmates and now council mates - if Rinko found out about her stupid crush and didn’t reciprocate those feelings, their working relationships could sour. And even worse, their friendship could be affected. As far as she could tell, Rinko saw her as a friend, greatly respected her for her confidence, but the feelings were platonic.

Sayo was good at hiding her true emotions, so she decided that that’s what she was going to do. She was going to tuck her feelings into the back of her heart, and continue being just friends with Rinko.

* * *

It was another long day at the student council. Rinko and her committee had just concluded a lengthy meeting with the presidents of the various student clubs in Hanasakigawa, and everyone was packing up and leaving. The orange glow of the sunset was streaming in from the windows - it was getting late - and eventually, it was just Rinko and Sayo left as usual, slowly packing up after a short post-meeting discussion.

“Hikawa-san,” Rinko softly spoke. “Thank you for all your help today. Speaking to a lot of people isn’t my strong suit and I couldn’t get my ideas across at some points… But you helped to articulate them so well…”

“No problem, all in a day’s work.”

“Actually...I really want to thank you for helping me so much in the student council all this while. Although I’m the president I struggle with so many things… Without Hikawa-san by my side, I’d be nothing.”

Hearing Rinko say all this with that shy smile of hers tugged at Sayo's heart. Rinko thought so highly about her, yet she always downplayed the qualities Sayo saw in her. 

“Don’t say that about yourself, Shirokane-san. You’re always so responsible and reliable as president, everyone looks up to you even if you don’t notice it. In fact, I really,  _ really _ do respect you both as a president and as an individual.”

_ Oh wow, _ Sayo thought. She was surprised at herself for being this frank and showering all this praise on Rinko. 

“T-this may seem a bit sudden,” Rinko lowered her voice, tugging the hem of her skirt nervously, “But having you by my side helping me with everything from homework, band stuff, student council stuff, and even talking about mundane things...it makes me really happy…”

Sayo's mind started to race. Why was Rinko suddenly saying all this? It made her want to melt on the spot, but she had to play it cool - she couldn't let her know about her true feelings for her. Awkwardly, she ran her fingers through her hair. “Being with you...makes me really happy too.”

“Hikawa-san, you’re really special to me…”

At that moment, Sayo's eyes met with Rinko's tender gaze. Her breathing momentarily stopped. Could it be possible…that Rinko was gearing up for a confession to her? 

Sayo silently gulped, nervously waiting for Rinko's next words. Oh god, what if Rinko really did like her the same way she did-

“...you really are one of my closest friends I’ve ever made.”

Sayo's heart instantly sank. Oh, of course. She just saw her as a platonic friend. 

“Same, you’re one of my closest friends as well,” Sayo replied. She was secretly disappointed, but at the same time, it was okay. At least she had closure on Rinko's feelings for her. And as for her own romantic inclinations, she could learn to live with it or let it die on its own. 

That same night, Sayo lay on her bed, mulling about their conversation earlier that day. Was she  _ really _ okay with keeping her feelings for Rinko a secret? She was an honest and straightforward girl as much as she never wore her heart on her sleeve, and this led to her conflicting emotions. 

It was at that moment when her phone buzzed. It was Lisa, and she just confirmed that Sayo could come over to her house to bake cookies that Saturday.

"Oh well," Sayo sighed and typed out a quick reply. "I'll figure it out somehow."

* * *

"You like her, don't you?" Lisa quipped while she and Sayo were rolling out the cookie dough. 

"Wha- who?" Sayo was caught off guard by Lisa's comment and almost dropped the rolling pin. 

"Rinko. You've liked her for a while right?" 

Sayo's voice lowered in bashfulness. "H-how did you know?" 

Lisa smiled and shuffled closer to her. "Just a hunch. I've been noticing the way you've been looking at her for a while now, and how much the both of you have been hanging out together."

Sayo gripped the rolling pin tightly. "Well, sure, but…she only sees me as a friend."

"And you're fine with keeping your feelings a secret as it is?" 

"I mean, she doesn't need to know…"

Lisa placed her hand firmly on Sayo's shoulder. "Now where's the honest and forthcoming Sayo I used to know? You've always spoken your mind, even if the truth was difficult to swallow, but now you're going to hold your feelings back?" 

"That's true, I'm just...afraid of disturbing the status quo."

"Nah, it'll be fine! Who knows, maybe she likes you the same way as well? Take your time if you need to, but don't regret not saying anything until it's too late."

Hearing Lisa’s words, Sayo was filled with a newfound sense of encouragement. No longer was she going to passively hide her true emotions - she decided that she was going to take that bold step and confess those feelings to Rinko.


	3. Epilogue

In the privacy of the Hanasakigawa student council room sat Rinko and Sayo side by side as they did their homework. Not a single word was exchanged between them, and the room would have been completely quiet if not for the music Sayo was playing from her phone and the scratching of pens on paper, yet Rinko and Sayo both completely felt at ease with just the two of them together. They didn’t have any student council activities for the day, nor did they have any band practice thereafter, yet somehow they naturally decided to stay back after school in the student council room - their little haven - to complete their homework.

In the midst of Sayo’s playlist that consisted mostly of indie rock, a soft pop rock love song started to play - Kiseki by Greeeen. Sayo usually didn’t really listen to such music but it was a rare favourite of hers and somehow it popped up in her shuffle that day,

And at that moment, everything just felt like it fell into place. The song, the relaxed setting, just the two of them in the room - she was going to tell Rinko right now.

“Shirokane-san.”

Rinko promptly looked up. “...Yes?”

“This may be a little sudden and unexpected, but… I really like you...in a romantic sort of way. I can’t pinpoint exactly when, but I’ve liked you this way for quite some time now.”

Sayo’s heart was pounding hard against her chest. She gazed at Rinko’s face - dumbfounded, her lips quivering just a little.

Sayo continued. “I know you see me just as a friend, but that’s okay. I just felt that I needed to get these feelings off my chest so we can move on-”

“H-Hikawa-san,” Rinko interrupted her softly.

Sayo stopped.

“Hikawa-san...I’ve always...felt the same way about you as well…”

There was a moment of silence as they both looked at each other, processing what had just happened between them.

Then Sayo’s nervous smile broke into a chuckle of relief. “...so it really took us this long to realise, huh?”

“Yeah,” Rinko replied, “I almost wanted to tell you a while back...but I backed out because I thought it was just a one-sided thing on my part all along...guess we’re both equally dense...”

The both of them laughed for a moment at that realisation and as a release of all those pent up emotions all this while.

Then Sayo straightened up and got serious. “So Shirokane-sa-”

At that moment, Rinko stopped her by gently placing her hand on top of Sayo’s.

“From now onwards...call me Rinko.”

Sayo smiled, and continued. “Will you be my girlfriend, Rinko?”

“Yes, Sayo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent too long trying to think of an appropriate love song to put that isn't already associated with a series or pairing - I originally put Ai wo Mitsuketa Basho but this was the official Kumirei anthem in the Eupho anime, so I settled with Kiseki in which the lyrics actually kinda fit Sayorin's relationship here c: It's a nice song as well, go give it a listen!


End file.
